Mammoth Marine Reptile Discovered in the UK: Ichthyotitan severens, the Largest Known Swimmer of the Triassic Sea

A team of paleontologists has made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying the largest marine reptile ever known to have swam in the world’s waters. This creature, believed to be approximately the length of two buses, lived about 202 million years ago during the end of the Triassic period.

In 2016, a fossil hunter stumbled upon a two-meter jawbone belonging to this massive fish lizard on a beach in Somerset, UK. In 2020, a father and daughter discovered another similar fossilized jawbone in the same area.

The researchers have dubbed this creature Ichthyotitan severens, based on the size of the jawbones found. They estimate that it was roughly 25 meters long, which is roughly equivalent to a blue whale today. However, more evidence is needed to confirm its exact size, such as finding its entire skeleton and skull. These fish lizards were top predators of their time and comparable to killer whales today.

What makes this discovery particularly significant is that all previous giant fish-lizard fossils have been found in Asia and North America. The fact that these massive jawbones were discovered in Britain opens up new possibilities for understanding the evolution and diversity of marine reptiles during this time period.